Chiu Ti-Chuan, Li Yu-Yu, Yu Chia-Hung, Hung Kuo-Chuan, Chu Chin-Chen, Feng Ping-Hsun, Tan Ping-Heng
Department of Anesthesiology, Chi Mei Medical Center, 701 Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.
Department of Anesthesiology, Chi-Mei Hospital, Chiali, 722 Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.
J Integr Neurosci. 2025 Jun 23;24(6):33414. doi: 10.31083/JIN33414.
Interferons (IFNs) are cytokines with diverse functions, possessing antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory effects. IFN-α and IFN-β, key members of the type I interferon (IFN-I) family, are widely used in the treatment of diseases such as hepatitis and multiple sclerosis. In the nervous system, microglia, astrocytes, and neurons express IFN-I receptors. Beyond their classical transcriptional roles, IFN-Is can suppress neuronal activity and synaptic transmission through nongenomic mechanisms, producing potent analgesic effects. However, IFN-Is are active in signaling pathways such as phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and the MAPK-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase (MNK)-eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) pathway, which can sensitize peripheral nociceptors and contribute to nociceptive responses. This narrative review explores recent advances in understanding the roles of IFN-I and the cyclic-GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling cascade in acute and chronic nociceptive responses, which are increasingly recognized but remain a subject of debate. Recent studies suggest that the STING-IFN-I pathway has complex, stage-dependent effects on nociception. In the middle to late stages of the nociceptive response, this pathway can activate signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling, as well as microglial mediated STING pathways and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor (TRAF) family member-associated nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB activator) collectively referred to as TANK. These pathways increase pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine production, promote microglial M1 polarization, and inhibit endoplasmic reticulum-phagy (ER-phagy) in the central nervous system (CNS). These mechanisms contribute to central sensitization while modulating the analgesic effects of IFN-Is. Thus, the STING-IFN-I pathway plays a dual role in nociception, with both pro-nociceptive and analgesic effects that are dependent on the stage of the nociceptive response. Understanding the differential roles of STING-IFN-I signaling in nociceptors under physiological and pathological conditions could pave the way for the development of targeted nociceptive response management therapies.
干扰素(IFNs)是具有多种功能的细胞因子,具有抗病毒、抗增殖和免疫调节作用。I型干扰素(IFN-I)家族的关键成员IFN-α和IFN-β被广泛用于治疗肝炎和多发性硬化症等疾病。在神经系统中,小胶质细胞、星形胶质细胞和神经元表达IFN-I受体。除了其经典的转录作用外,IFN-I还可通过非基因组机制抑制神经元活动和突触传递,产生强大的镇痛作用。然而,IFN-I在磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶(PI3K)、丝裂原活化蛋白激酶(MAPK)和MAPK相互作用的丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白激酶(MNK)-真核起始因子4E(eIF4E)途径等信号通路中具有活性,这些通路可使外周伤害感受器敏感化并促成伤害性反应。这篇叙述性综述探讨了在理解IFN-I和环磷酸鸟苷-腺苷酸合酶(cGAS)-干扰素基因刺激物(STING)信号级联在急性和慢性伤害性反应中的作用方面的最新进展,这些作用日益受到认可,但仍是一个有争议的话题。最近的研究表明,STING-IFN-I途径对伤害感受具有复杂的、阶段依赖性的影响。在伤害性反应的中晚期,该途径可激活信号转导和转录激活因子(STAT)信号,以及小胶质细胞介导的STING途径和肿瘤坏死因子(TNF)受体相关因子(TRAF)家族成员相关的活化B细胞核因子κ轻链增强子(NF-κB激活剂),统称为TANK。这些途径增加促炎和抗炎细胞因子的产生,促进小胶质细胞M1极化,并抑制中枢神经系统(CNS)中的内质网自噬(ER-自噬)。这些机制在调节IFN-I的镇痛作用的同时促成中枢敏化。因此,STING-IFN-I途径在伤害感受中起双重作用,其促伤害感受和镇痛作用均取决于伤害性反应的阶段。了解STING-IFN-I信号在生理和病理条件下伤害感受器中的不同作用可为开发有针对性的伤害性反应管理疗法铺平道路。